Description: This article from The Actuary, November 1996, Volume 30, No. 9 discusses the value of the actuary. What is our value to our publics? Is it in sheepishly agreeing with statutory impositions -pension plans are a social good that should have favored status as long as they pay their fair share - or is it in sticking to, then clarifying and explaining, our principles regardless of the penalties? Our corporate agreement with the notion that there are “individually realistic actuarial assumptions.”

Description: This article discusses the need for more participation by members in the direction of the profession, particularly in the Society of Actuaries.

Description: Chronicles the two-year history of the Committee on Life Insurance Company Valuation Principles, COLICVP, and looks ahead to the future.

Description: First of a 2 part series: The Actuarial Science Program at the University of Nebraska includes a course on Actuarial Roles and Ethics. In 1978 the students in this class sent a questionnaire to 265 persons, mostly alumni of the Program, aimed at finding out how actuaries see themselves, and to what extent ethical questions have impinged upon them. This article gives answers by 61 Fellows 60 F.S.A.'s and one F.C.A.S.

Description: This article gives an example of how a proposed change to Actuarial Standard of Practice No. 4 would decrease the quality of work done by the actuary of a pension plan or increase misunderstanding.